EU opens door for member states to arm Syrians, lifts arms embargo

The European Union has lifted its arms embargo against Syria, opening the door for member states to decide for themselves whether or not to provide weapons to rebel fighters.

No immediate plans to arm the rebels were announced, CNN reported. But the removal of the embargo sends a strong warning to Syria’s President Bashar Assad, said British Foreign Secretary William Hague, in CNN.

“It was a difficult decision for some countries, but it was necessary and right to reinforce international efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Syria,” he said, in a written statement in CNN. “It was important for Europe to send a clear signal to the Assad regime that it has to negotiate seriously and that all options remain on the table if it refuses to do so.”

Several countries, including the United States, have indicated the provision of weapons to rebel fighters might be a possibility under certain conditions — if government forces used chemical warfare, for instance.

About the Author

Cheryl Chumley is a continuous news writer for The Washington Times. Previously, she was part of the start-up team for The Washington Times’ digital aggregation product, Times247. She’s also a 2008-2009 Robert Novak journalism fellow with The Phillips Foundation. She can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.